Drinking water (DW) can undergo quality changes during transport through the distribution network. Physical-chemical and/or microbial changes can lead to the development of taste and odor events, and/or regrowth of pathogens. To understand the root causes and study in depth how these changes arise, the use of pilot plants that emulate drinking water distribution networks is essential. Here we describe the design and functionality of a new pilot plant for this purpose. First, we describe the choice of piping material, sensors and instrumentation. Secondly, we show evidence of how the three independent loops (100 m each) of the pilot behave identically when tested for physical-chemical and microbial changes over time. This pilot plant thus allows to test three conditions simultaneously, and to monitor 1) the formation of taste and odor compounds, 2) the regrowth of microorganisms, and 3) changes in dissolved organic carbon composition. Additionally, online measurements of both physical and biological parameters enable real-time follow-up of the pilot, and inner pipe biofilm sampling is possible using coupons. To reproduce different network conditions, temperature, flow rate and pressure are modulable. The temperature control feature presents an opportunity for studying the effect of climate change on drinking water quality, and its modularity and flexibility allows to study the impact of different piping material and source waters on DW quality changes in the distribution network.